Never Make These Comments to Recruiters… Employers Are Texting Potential Hires… Super Skills Needed for Changing Job Landscape

Every interaction you have with a potential employer—and that begins with recruiters—should show professionalism and thoughtfulness. To put your best foot forward, avoid these phrases.

“I’ll take any job at your company.” This sounds desperate and doesn’t focus on what you can bring to an organization. It also shows you haven’t thought through your career goals.

“That salary sounds fine.” Even starting salaries are negotiable, and the best way to negotiate is to research before accepting a number.

“My former company was awful.” Grousing about a former employer or colleague damages your reputation, not theirs. Instead, talk about how you coped with challenging circumstances.

“My former boss was threatened by me so she won’t give me a good recommendation.” Recruiters will likely want the best recommendations you can offer. If your current boss is not one of those, simply tell the recruiter that the list you provide represents the most comprehensive mix of supervisors to talk about your skills and accomplishments.

“Can we reschedule?” Canceling an interview, especially on the day it’s scheduled, is like saying you don’t care about the job.

“Has my résumé fallen into a black hole?” Being condescending or whiney about not hearing about a job application will cause more harm than good. Instead, try to find someone who can personally refer you, so that a recruiter might take the time to examine your application.

Many employers are turning to text messaging as a way to communicate with job seekers—and to lower recruiting costs and grab younger workers’ attention as jobs go unfilled in the tight labor market.

The use of text messaging usually occurs early in the hiring process as a way to arrange interviews, ask initial screening questions, and connect with past applicants.

New recruiting texting apps are being marketed to large staffing firms and even Fortune 500 companies. These tools use “conversational,” artificially-produced questions to text with applicants about qualifications and availability.

Texting in lieu of calling for initial screenings has several benefits. Candidates are more likely to respond to a text message than an e-mail, resulting in a better response from job seekers who might avoid job-board e-mail listings. The inherent back-and-forth of texting can also speed up the initial job screening process while encouraging Gen Z and millennial candidates to participate in a familiar, low stress environment.

The workplace is evolving as technology, the economy, and politics impact businesses. To be relevant in the future, job searchers should hone these five skills, according to the non-profit think tank Institute of the Future.

Digital competence. Artificial intelligence will help make humans more efficient; therefore, learning to use new digital tools will be considered a crucial skill.

Adaptability. Being able to change in the complex and fast-moving world will make an employee more valuable. Flexibility sometimes means stepping down to learn a new skill before moving back up again. This type of adaptability is predicted to be another important skill.

Resilience. Overcoming obstacles is important to organizations; hence, employees who can surmount setbacks, problems, and negativity help their organizations transform problems into opportunities.

Personal branding. Standing out and building a reputation with a following will be essential. That means creating a “reputational portfolio,” which showcases a polished social media presence so that employers can readily grasp how a person’s skills and goals will fit with a corporate culture.

Networking. Building a “personal tribe” has become an integral way for job seekers to move from position to position. Dedicating the time to building a network will continue to be the single best way to hear about openings.